appeal for free hdb parking on sat

the ura and hdb in a joint letter turned down a public appeal to let visitors park for free in hdb carparks on sat. two reasons were given for the rejection. sat is a weekend and they did not want residents to be deprived of a carpark when they returned home. the second reason is the lost of revenue. allowing free parking on sat will mean having to raise parking fees on other days to maintain the same level of income from carparks. by now many hdb dwellers must be awared that every time they park their cars in another hdb car park they are actually paying double. firstly they have paid for a season car park at home. when they move out, someone is going to park in their lots and pay while they themselves would have to pay again in another carpark, very likely hdb. actually it is a game of musical chairs for hdb dwellers. and 80% of singaporeans are hdb dwellers, travelling from home to inlaws or friends and relatives in another hdb estate. and for this reason, even if sat is free, like free sunday parking, the pattern of cars changing carparks will still be the same. except now they need not have to pay double and hdb could only earn once. saturday night is also an evening out where many will go dining or clubbing and will be home later. so the free parking till 10 pm should not be too much of a nuisance in depriving residents of their carparks except for some hot areas. for these two reasons, allowing free parkings on saturday may not be a hassle provided hdb is willing to forgo some revenue for the double parking fee which they are making from hdb dwellers. if they are prepared to think a little, or put the scheme on a test basis, some fine tuning may be all that is needed to minimise problems coming from it. and it will definitely enhance the quality of social life and families or friends visiting each other more often. but profit is always the prime concern in this money crazy society. it is like asking hdb to cut a pound of flesh from their butts to give away. if only they could think otherwise, saturday will be a whole lot more different to all hdb dwellers. but for those who prefer a quiet night in their flats, they must be prepared to bear with more noises and movements of people around them.